In the coastal municipality of Salinas, the Asociación de Residentes de la Margarita is laser focused on flood mitigation, energy resilience, and halting industrial polluters. The La Margarita neighborhood was savaged by Hurricane Hugo in 1989, and six major floods have knocked out power and inundated homes since, leaving some residents with nothing except seven feet of water inside their homes. With Salinas located less than 20 feet above sea level and EPA predictions for sea-level rise, heavier rains, and more-intense storms around Puerto Rico, residents – 99.5% Hispanic and 46% living below the poverty line – can expect more direct impacts. Since 2020, ARLM has been building a solar cooperative to provide electricity when the island’s fragile power grid goes out, developing flood prevention plans, calling out local polluters, and creating a Resilience Center to provide education and social services.
Community watchdogs, the all-volunteer, women-led neighborhood association files complaints against irresponsible development in environmentally and culturally sensitive areas, calling for the immediate halt of activities, sanctions against offenders, and mitigation plans to counteract environmental impacts. The US Department of Energy has twice awarded ARLM a Community Clean Energy Coalition Prize for their work to identify elderly and low income residents who would not have access to renewable energy and to install solar and storage in at least 40% of eligible homes. Among the Association’s current projects is the La Margarita Resilience Center, a sustainable community meeting place where educational and social services are provided. In 2024, the EPA awarded ARLM a Community Change grant, valued between $10 and $20 million, to support a centralized solar/battery microgrid, EV charging infrastructure, and residential rooftop solar systems to provide affordable and clean energy. As well, the grant furthers ARLM’s efforts on mitigation and adaptation, including flood water control barriers, improvements to water drainage systems, and the establishment of 20 resilience hubs to form a disaster relief network.
ARLM began their renewable energy project in January 2023, with phase one energizing 50 homes with clean energy. The neighborhood group partnered with Reborn Energy, PowerSun, LLC , Municipio de Salinas, SimpliPhi Power, Inc. and Cooperativa de Energía La Margarita- Abeyno Coop.